Toronto, ON, May 26, 2015 – Patients at The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids) in Toronto will soon be able to enjoy life with clear vision thanks to a donation from LASIK MD. Last week, Canada’s only national laser vision correction provider, LASIK MD, donated an Excimer Laser to the hospital. The laser will be used for children with developmental delays and who are not able to wear glasses or contacts.

A donation that will make a difference

“Thanks to the generous donation from LASIK MD, the Department of Ophthalmology and Vision Sciences at SickKids is now able to offer laser refractive surgery to children for the first time in its history,” said Dr. Agnes Wong, Ophthalmologist-in-Chief at The Hospital for Sick Children. “The laser surgery will benefit children with behavioural challenges, as is often seen in children with autism, who refuse or are unable to wear glasses, and as a result suffer from poor vision.”

Dr. Wong says this is a great way to improve the lives of patients who need it. “It is truly a gift of sight,” she says. “These children can now see clearly again which will allow them the opportunity to grow, learn and play.”

Surgeons in the ophthalmology department at the hospital will use this technology to perform laser vision correction; a safe and effective procedure that corrects common refractive errors such as myopia, hyperopia and astigmatism. Children who undergo the procedure will be able to see clearly without the need for glasses or contact lenses.

LASIK MD honoured to help children’s hospital

“We are very fortunate to be in a position to help these children,” says Dr. Mark Cohen, LASIK MD Co-Founder and Co-Medical Director. “Laser vision correction has been helping adults achieve clear sight for over 25 years, and now we’re able to help SickKids deliver this great treatment and technology to children who need it.”

The laser platform being donated is one of LASIK MD’s most widely used lasers; a Bausch & Lomb Z100 Excimer Laser. It delivers 100 laser pulses per second and is proven to deliver safe and reliable outcomes.

In addition to donating the laser, four LASIK MD surgeons in the Toronto area will volunteer their time to familiarize the hospital’s surgeons on how to use the equipment.